Vol. 532 No. 3
144 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if his attention has been drawn to the difficulties that many applicants for naturalisation who are on social welfare or low incomes face due to the £500 standard fee; if he will give consideration to introducing a waiver or a reduced fee for social welfare recipients or those on low incomes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7330/01]
The Irish Nationality and Citizenship (Fees) Regulations, 1993, as amended in 1996, specify the fees that are payable in respect of the grant of a certificate of naturalisation. No fees are payable in respect of recognised refugees, stateless persons, within the meaning of the 1954 UN convention, and programme refugees as defined in section 24 of the Refugee Act, 1996. The following fees are payable in respect of other categories of applicant: £100 is payable by the spouse of a naturalised Irish citizen; the minor child of a naturalised Irish citizen; the widow or widower of an Irish citizen; a person who has renounced Irish citizenship; or a person who had made a declaration of Irish citizenship on foot of marriage to an Irish citizen. All other applicants must pay £500.
I am satisfied that the categories of persons who are not required to pay a fee for naturalisation encompass the majority of the applicants referred to by the Deputy. In respect of the remainder, it should be noted that the fees in question have remained unchanged since 1 April 1993. In the circumstances, I have no plans to amend the existing regulations.
